Justice for Katrina dogs: Amherst man jailed, fined $63,000 for negligent care

You would think Best Friends would have the resources to have checked this man out BEFORE placing these dogs in his care...too quick to wash their hands of the dogs. :mad:

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/01/31/news/mj548170.txt

ELYRIA — A 40-year-old Amherst man who had a kennel and advertised as a dog trainer named "The Dog Guy Don" was sentenced to 12 months in the Lorain County Jail yesterday for bilking more than $36,000 out of a nonprofit group in Utah who provided care for dogs rescued after Hurricane Katrina.

Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge James Miraldi ordered Donald Chambers to pay a $1,000 fine and $62,124 in restitution to the Best Friends Animal Society in Utah.

Prosecutors say Chambers was given $36,720 and 28 dogs from the Best Friends Animal Society. He was supposed to use the money to care for the dogs until they were adopted. Only three of the dogs were placed in homes and most of the dogs have died.

"He took money to train dogs, then brought them to the pound to be killed," Prosecutor Peter Gauthier said.

"Many times we have more compassion for animals than our fellow man and in some cases (the defendant) will be looked at differently because his crime was against animals," defense attorney Bill Willis said. "Some people want him to get a harder sentence."

Chambers told the judge he just had bad business skills. "I try to do right and support a family, but I made some bad business decisions." Chambers has since closed his dog business and worked as a tow truck driver.

Before imposing his sentence, Miraldi told Chambers, "Your involvement in this process goes way beyond bad business. You went through the deceitful process of taking money and letting these dogs die. I think you have some sociopathic tendencies to behave the way you did."

Three representatives from the Best Friends Animal Society flew in from Utah for the sentencing. They were given a chance to speak before Miraldi imposed the sentence.

"These were innocent dogs caught in the middle of a person's greed right after they had survived a horrific tragedy," said Tammy Rolfe, of the Best Friends Animal Society. "These dogs lost their lives because of his greed. Mr. Chambers allowed dogs to be killed and thrown away like trash."

Added Best Friends representative Mike Harmon, "At any point he could have contacted us and said he was over his limits and we would have taken the dogs back."

Several members of the Chambers family were in court to show their support for him. They all walked out in tears when the deputy handcuffed Chambers and took him away to begin serving his sentence. No one in the Chambers family wanted to comment about the case.

 

Wow. Ridiculous.

Some people are so greedy. He just wanted the cash.

 

no suprise really, its the typical Best Friends shell game

 

i said it before, and for some reason the post dissapeared- this is nothing short of the best Friends shell game.